July 31
- Florida Keys History Center
- Jul 30
- 2 min read
1911 – The Key West City Council approved a contract to pave some of the city streets with Baltimore Bricks.
1927 – A Cuban motor launch caught fire and sank in the Northwest Channel off Key West while attempting to smuggle Italian immigrants. Four people perished in the accident, and four others were found clinging to a bell buoy. The survivors said the captain swam to a nearby key.
1945 – J. Roland Adams reported that the federal government’s wonder chemical DDT had been used against Keys mosquitoes with marvelous results. He reported that within 10 minutes of spraying, vast swarms of flies and mosquitoes disappeared.
1956 – Plans for an 18-hole course at the Key West Golf Club were submitted by Gulf Securities of Louisiana, Inc. Local leaders hoped the 6,600-yard, par 71 layout would attract top PGA and amateur events and bring additional tourism dollars to the Keys.
1966 – The U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey ship Hydrographer was assigned to survey a 1,200-square-mile area between Key West and Tortugas bank, portions of which had not been charted since 1852. The 164-foot vessel used echo-sounding to measure water depth and electronic instruments for distance.
1986 – The Florida Keys south of Mile Marker 74 had no long-distance telephone access for 24 hours after a crew for the Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority accidentally cut through a six-inch telephone cable near Islamorada.
1979 – The Monroe County Commission approved building a TV Translator System that would provide free television throughout the county.
2001 – The Key West Sunrise Rotary Club announced they would take over management of the Florida Keys Poker Run, a motorcycle-based fundraiser for local youth programs and diabetes research involving more than 3,000 bikers. For over 25 years the annual event had been under the charge of Mike and Debby Horne.
Information compiled by Dr. Corey Malcom, Lead Historian, Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center.
Image: Kay Faraldo, Key West golfer of the year, December 29, 1955. Photo by Don Pinder. Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center.
